Clean pull technique

Matt DeMinico · 12-22-2008, 09:06 AM

Still trying to refine my olympic lifting technique, and this is my first real attempt at doing a day of clean-pulls. My max power clean is 185, this is 232 on the bar. Lincoln at the CF message boards said something about my head being too far back at the end of the pull, though I'm not sure what problems that causes.

Can you's all take a look at this and let me know if you see anything out of the ordinary? Anything I'm doing especially well and make sure I keep, and anything I need to fix?

http://www.motorcitycrossfit.com/MattCleanPull.avi

Eddie Clark · 12-22-2008, 11:18 AM

I think Glenn recommended less arm usage over at the Xfit forums. I would add to that, that once you do get some momentum and elevation on the bar from your triple extension and shrug you want to keep the elbows high and outside. That will enable you to keep the bar closer to the body and allow for a quicker turnover of the elbows once you do decide to get under it

Garrett Smith · 12-22-2008, 12:27 PM

You need to decide whether you are doing a clean pull or a clean high pull.

What you were doing in that video was an attempt at a clean high pull. If that's really what you are after, I'd suggest going a bit lighter to get a snappier and higher pull.

See the exercise videos page here (http://www.cathletics.com/exercises/...on&sectionID=2) for the difference between the two.

Matt DeMinico · 12-22-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

You need to decide whether you are doing a clean pull or a clean high pull.

What you were doing in that video was an attempt at a clean high pull. If that's really what you are after, I'd suggest going a bit lighter to get a snappier and higher pull.

See the exercise videos page here (http://www.cathletics.com/exercises/...on&sectionID=2) for the difference between the two.

Ahhhh... In my little mind, I didn't realize there was a difference between the clean pull and the clean high pull. I was just going off what I remembered in my mind from the latest PMenu article.

Garrett Smith · 12-22-2008, 02:17 PM

Bill Starr just wrote a CFJ article on high pulls, FWIW.

Regular pulls have become one of my favorite exercises now, and are always a part of my exercise rotation after the full lifts.

I typically use about 10kg over my heaviest full lift of the day for my pulls. You were way over that...

Jamie Jamieson · 12-24-2008, 02:39 PM

I agree about keeping the elbows out and up. The weight looks like one speed from your video. I suggest lighten it up some and work on that second pull explosion, there should be an obvious transition from mid thigh.